Road Trip
by xYelloww
Summary: Instead of Hogwarts, he went the other way. Instead of graduating and becoming an Auror, he went on a Road trip, with Draco Malfoy of all people. Instead of sight seeing, he must fight, not necessarily for his but definitely for his companions' life. He always find himself in trouble, but hey, that's the life of a Potter, isn't it?
1. Chapter 1

Road trip.

Harry Potter simply didn't care. There he was, standing on platform nine and three quarters, about to board the Hogwarts express that would bring him and his two best friends back to the castle for their repeat of seventh year.

He couldn't bring himself to take the last step though, and with an apologetic look, he shook his head and turned around. Ron Weasley looked confused and Hermione Granger shouted his name but he ignored them. He just.. Couldn't bring himself to say something.

He gripped his trunk tightly and twirl further, he was gone.

One would say he was depressed, another called him insane and yet another thought he needed love and care, or a shrink and meds. He was of opinion he just needed to get away. A breather. Away from attention, from the adoration, from the fame, the hate and from the pain he saw all around and sometimes felt.

Harry ended up at Andromeda Tonks' house, not knowing where else to go. With him appearing right in front of her gates, a little too close, the wards were breached and an alarm sounded, loudly ringing in his ears. Standing there, Harry watched how she rushed out the house, her midnight blue robes billowing dangerously as she moved with her wand in hand and ready to attack.

Seeing him however, made her tuck away the wand in her arm holster and she briskly stalked up to him, a finger waving to scold him. "Harry! I told you so," She grabbed his ear. "Do not apparate so close up, you'll set the wards of and scare little Teddy bear!"

"Ow! I remember! Ow! Sorry!" He squeaked, flailing his arms. "Sorry! Ow! Please let go."

She gave one more tuck at his ear and did let go, places her hands in her sides.

"Thanks." He mumbled and rubbed his ear but she just pursed her lips.

"You should be at Hogwarts, young man, what are you doing here?" She waved her hand around.

"I don't know?" He answered truthfully and she sighed. "Come on in then."

Harry grinned and followed her into the house to the kitchen and there sat Teddy, his godson in a high chair at the table, smudging applesauce all around, happy laughter filling the room.

"Hey hey! Little man," Harry plucked him up and kissed the toddlers sticky cheek, to be rewarded with sticky cheeks of himself as two tiny, apple-sauced hands patted his cheeks paired with happy gurgles in a hello back. "Aren't you one happy lad?" He crooned and settled him on his hip.

"Say.. Meda?" He turned towards the elderly Lady who was waving her wand, getting tea ready and she hummed in reply. "He doesn't really look scared.. Does he?"

She turned around, narrowing her eyes and pointed her wand at the teen.

"Erhm.. Sorry?" He winced with a deer caught in the headlight face and she winked, turning back to her tea making.

Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and kissed the toddler on top of his brown curls, who was still happily gurgling in his hold and messing up his clothes in the process and Harry smiled, putting the toddler back into his seat and watched as Teddy immediately attacked the bowl again.

"Sit." Andromeda said as she put two mugs of tea on the table and sat down. Harry scooted in the seat beside her and curled his fingers around the steamy cup.

"Why are you here, Harry?" She asked gently.

"I.. I just really didn't want to go to Hogwarts. I feel like, I've seen to much, yet, way too little and I just.." He thought for a moment, stirring the tea. "..Want to be free. See the world and be myself I guess. I feel too old for school."

"So you came here."

"Yeah," He nodded. "I like it here, its peaceful and.. Easy, I suppose."

"Its," Andromeda started and Harry cut in. "Home. Its home and thats where I want to be. Hogwarts isn't home anymore."

"You may stay, for as long as you like," Andromeda said softly and thumbed his cheek. "But only if you smile."

Harry looked a little confused at her.

"You looked sad," she clarified. "Don't look so sad."

Then she stood up, shuffled out the room and came back holding a small item in her fist. Placing it on the table, Harry recognised it as Sirius Blacks' motorcycle.

"How did you?"

Andromeda knew what he meant. "When my husband fell away, according to the old family laws, I regained my place in the family. Its a stuffy, complicated thing, old family magicks.," She sighed. "Basically said, I'm the last one carrying the name, and so I inherited everything," She pointed at the miniature bike. "Including this."

"Oh."

"It's yours," she continued. "But you have to get your drivers license, Sirius had to too and then you can go around, see the world, be a silly young man, do dumb things like teenagers are supposed to do and most of all, Dear, enjoy your life."

"But.."

"You deserve it." She hummed. "You cannot sit here, live without something to look forward too. One must have things to look forward to."

Harry nodded, and understood. "Thank you." He whispered eventually.


	2. Chapter 2

That night, Harry talked with Andromeda for hours about anything and everything. She had gotten him excited for plans to make and things to do. That night he settled down in her attic, on the camping bed below the roof window and fell asleep dreaming of cruising through foreign cities and alongside pretty white beaches with palm trees on the bright red bike.

Thus, the next morning, Harry left the house early. He was on a mission. Eventually, it had taken him quite a few hours but when he came back at the house, he had a bag full of study books and had signed up for a course that promised him his drivers licence within three months. It was an expensive course but with all the money he had, it barely made a dent in the pile of gold stocked up it his Gringrott's vaults.

Andromeda was seated on the couch, little Teddy playing with his toys by her feet when Harry came in. She immediately noticed the small smile on his face and praised herself on a job well done. She knew, way before Harry had even come to her, that the black haired wizard shouldn't go back to Hogwarts. She had known he needed a while to just be free and when he had knocked on her door, she happily provided him with the means to do just that. Harry had taken to it big time and considering he was now in her kitchen, laying out stacks of books to learn what he needed to do what she suggested, she counted herself one lucky woman.

"You've got loads to do, I see." She said, standing in the door opening of the kitchen where Harry already had installed himself for a long study session.

"More than I need though," He answered and tapped one stack. "These are for the drivers licence and these," He tapped the other stack. "These are about taking care of the motor, it wasn't said I needed to learn that, but, if I'm going far and stuff, I guessed I need to know how to fix the bike will it break on me."

"I believe that is a correct assumption." She agreed and went over to make tea for the both of them.

At that, they rolled, over the weeks, into a routine. Harry would take care of Teddy in the mornings then go to his lessons and spend the rest of the night studying until it was time for Teddy to go to bed. After, he would either continue studying or write to his friends at Hogwarts - Just catching up with some, or arguing with others. Apparently, Hermione still couldn't grasp that Harry hadn't wanted to be locked up in the castle and study for N.E.W.T.S and Ron couldn't accept his best mate had left him to attend alone. He hated being stuck with just his studious girlfriend and no Harry to have fun with.

"Are you alright?" Andromeda asked one night when Harry had come down from bringing Teddy to bed. He was holding a letter he already had read and judging from his face, he wasn't happy. At all.

Harry shook his head and sat down next to Andromeda where the witch was curled up on the couch, enjoying a glass of fine wine and listening to the Wizard Wireless. "They think. I don't want to be their friend anymore." Harry sighed as he let himself fall against her side and rested his head on her shoulder. "They can't. They don't want to understand why I didn't come back to Hogwarts and now they think I don't want to be friends anymore and I don't know what to do."

Just as Andromeda was about to give the sad boy beside her some heart felt words, a heavy car engine rumbling came close to the house, the windows rattled and Harry perked up. He gave Andromeda a questioning look but she merely raised an eyebrow and a slight shake of her head, indicating she didn't know either. Harry got up, to look out the window and see what it was all about.

Right in front of the house stood a race model car in shiny Slytherin green. Harry grumbled under his breath as he watched a very familiar blonde boy step out. He growled. "Malfoy."

Before Andromeda could say a thing, even though she already had her hand up to stop the boy, Harry had already upped and left through the front door.

"What are you doing here?" Harry spat out, arms crossed defensively where he stood in front of the open door.

"I could ask you the same, Potter." Draco pointed his key at the door and it beeped as it locked. "I think, I have more reason to be here then you. Seeing as this is my family I am visiting."

"I live here," Harry growled. "And you haven't visited once since I live here so why now?"

"Because I can?"

"Come back when I'm not here, Malfoy."

"No!" Draco took a step closer, mirroring Harry's stance, a glare on his face.

"Yes!"

"No!"

Andromeda put her glass down. The shouting match in her front yard became louder and louder and the voices became angrier with each word. She sighed, wondering if they were four year old with the way they kept on with their yes and no tug o' war.

She smoothed down her robe, stuck at curl that dangled in front of her eyes behind her ear and made way to the fighting boys. As she passed the window, it went quiet and the flashes of light meant that the boys had turned to their wands. Quickly, she rushed out, her own wand at the ready.

Andromeda flicked her wand once, twice and a set of wands flew in her direction. She caught them with ease and put her hand in her side a berating look on her face and she tutted, disappointed. "Did you have to?" She admonished both boys sternly. "I will not have my family, my only family curse each other!"

She was about to give both a piece of her mind when Harry turned around. He was pale, shaking and barely still standing. "Andy.. " He squeaked, his hand reaching up to touch his chest. "I don't feel well." Promptly, his eyes rolled back and he tumbled to the floor.

"Harry!" She yelped, and as fast as she could make her way over to him. Draco, who had been watching, needed a moment but he raced over to his once school yard enemy and dropped on his knees next to his head. He did beat Andromeda's speed with ease. "Potter?" He questioned but he didn't give a sign of hearing. Draco called again, louder and slapped Harry on the cheek. "Harry?"

"Move." Andromeda grounded out and Draco slid away.

Andromeda pointed her wand at Harry. "Rennervate."

Nothing happened and Draco looked shocked, as he heard his aunt slay profanities as she patted Harry down, obviously in search of something.

"What is going on?" Draco asked when she pulled a pen of sorts out of Harry's pocket. She didn't answer as she shook up the bright yellow fluid in the pen and screwed the top of.

"Ah. Not a pen." Draco whispered when he saw the small needle at tip. Andromeda shoved Harry sleeve up, smashed it into Harry's skin and emptied it. Under her breath, she counted to ten and hit him with the spell again.

This time, Harry reacted, his eyes flew open and he turned to his side. A load of vomit escaped him and he rolled back. Looking up at the worried face of the woman above him he croaked out a thanks and closed his eyes again.

Andromeda brandished her wand again, this time to levitate Harry, slowly but surely she made her way back to the house, Draco following her closely. "What is wrong with Potter?" A small bit of fright clear in his curious voice.

Andromeda pointed at the two wands on the floor as she passed them, indicating for Draco to pick them up. "You almost succeeded where the Dark Lord did not." She stepped through the door, gently lowered Harry down on the couch and covered him with a blanket. She shakily grabbed her glass and took a seat in one of the armchairs close by. She drowned the glass in one go and pointedly stared at Draco, who shuffled from one foot to another, feeling put down by the glare.

"But, I didn't. I," He let a puff of air escape. "It was just a stinging hex!"

"Exactly." Andromeda pointed towards the other armchair. Draco sat down, barely able to look Andromeda in the eyes but did it either way, knowing she would not speak if she didn't have his full attention.

"Nobody left the war unscathed. You didn't, I didn't and Harry didn't either. He has a bad heart. It's barely functioning as it is and he's on medication to keep it working. He has to take it every day, if he doesn't, well, any bit too much strain on his body or any bit of emotional pressure sends his heart haywire. I didn't know Harry didn't take his medication as prescribed since he's been here, because, if he had. This wouldn't have happened."

"I do know that he doesn't want to depend on them so heavily even if he should and he is apparently so, of opinion, that being here he doesn't come in a situation where he does need them. Except, just now. When you arrived. I wasn't sure if it was you but when it did turn out to be you, I had hoped, things would go smoother than they did, but they didn't. The shouting match, followed by the duel, shot adrenaline through Harry's body, with my intervention, he relaxed. I don't blame you, or him," She threw a thumb at Harry. "I don't blame myself, but! That, is what made his heart stop."

She gave the boy she was talking to a brief moment to gather what she had said before continuing. "Do you understand, Draco? This is serious business. It is that I know what to do, that's what the injection is for. I shot him up with a potion that regulates his heart beatings for about, twenty-four hours. Had I not done that, or had I been too late, we would have had a very dead Savior on our hands. So," Andromeda got up. "Now you know, I expect that, while Harry has the potion running its course, you two will sort out any problems between you and come to a truce, lest I have to ban you from coming here and, or, kicking Harry to the curb. I will not have a repeat of tonight." She glanced once at Harry and back to Draco. "Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, Mrs. Black." Draco answered respectfully.

"Very well," She made way through the room and retrieved the bottle of wine she had opened up earlier. Then, she waggled a finger at Draco and left the room, stopping when she stood at the beginning of the stairs. "You may grab a blanket out the box, you watch him tonight, see to it, that he is still alive tomorrow morning when I come down."


	3. Chapter 3

Draco hadn't meant to, but he had accidentally fallen asleep curled up on the armchair with a blanket haphazardly thrown around him. He had wanted to stay awake to keep an eye out on Harry, to make sure Andromeda saw no reason to kill him come morning. Yet, even while reading a book that caught and held his attention he had managed to fall asleep. Fitfully that is, his closed eye time being plagued by nightmares of him being judged by the wizardgamot and the population alike for killing their beloved savior.

He only woke up when he had turned one too many times in the chair and fell out of it. He hit the floor with a thump, the dull sound loud, almost echoing through the room. Dazed, he scrambled up in a sitting position and frantically looked around, his sleep addled mind barely registering that Harry wasn't on the couch anymore. The moment he realized, he almost shouted out for Andromeda in panic, only to realize that, surely, if Harry had moved from the couch, he couldn't be dead, right?

Draco picked himself up, dropped the blanket back in its box by the fireplace and tried to smooth out his rumpled clothes. It didn't work. So, he pointedly ignored the full-length mirror he walked past where he knew he would see his disheveled self with probably sticking up hair as he searched for Harry.

He found him, seated at the kitchen table with Teddy in his lap, feeding the small boy a bowl of mush.

"Morning." He mumbled, taking a seat across the two, where he immediately noticed how pale and tired Harry looked. He didn't get a reply but steeled himself either way when he spoke again. "We need to talk."

"I see no reason why." Harry said almost instantly, keeping his attention on getting the small boy in his lap to eat his breakfast.

"I do." Draco pleaded with Harry, who refused to even look at him. "Andy and Teddy are my only family left, they are your only family left and well, that.. Makes us family, Harry." It felt odd to say his first name, but it had the desired effect. Draco caught Harry's attention.

For a moment, Harry stared warily at Draco but, he settled little Teddy on the floor who happily crawled out of the room in search of his toys. Harry watched the little boy go and as soon as he was out of sight, he crossed his arms and stared at the blonde, as if waiting for him to say more.

"Whether we want it or not, it would make Andy happy if we could at least fit through one door together. 'Sides.. " Draco mumbled almost unheard then. "As much as we might dislike each other, with that whole 'my heart isn't working' thing you've got going on for yourself, I don't want to be responsible may that happen. So."

"So?" Harry questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You and I," Draco moved a finger between the both of them and huffed, as his other hand pushed his hair back in slight frustration. "We need to talk."

Harry kept silent for a moment until he slowly nodded. "You may have a point."

"No, I do have a point, so," Draco corrected and fumbled his keys from his car out of his pocket. He settled an elbow on the table, letting the keys dangle for them both to see. "Why don't we get freshened up and go for a ride? Safest option we got. I have to steer so I can't hex you, and you can't hex me, may it cause both our deaths."

Harry actually smiled briefly. "Just shouting it is then."

That made Draco grin. "Just shouting."

Harry got up, quick to understand now would be the best time knowing he wouldn't drop while fighting with Draco, having the medicine still running thick though him. And when he stood next to Draco, he had the cheek to ruffle the blonde hair. "It's cute, really, how bad your hair can look." And with that, Harry made a run, knowing the blonde wouldn't react all too well on that.

That morning, Andromeda kept watch over Teddy as he was playing outside. She had taken a seat on the porch, smiling slightly as she saw Draco with Harry in tow step into the blonde's car and pull out, leaving her land and turning up the road. The motor roared and within seconds they disappeared out of her sight.

"Look like they're fixing things, darling," She whispered and handed Teddy a toy. "They're good and sometimes sweet.. Just like you."

The toddler smiled and took the toy, brambling in his own language but surely so, she thought, agreeing with her.


End file.
